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Mitochondrial functions and melatonin: a tour of the reproductive cancers.

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS
March 1, 2019
Luiz Gustavo de Almeida Chuffa et al. (6 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman StudyMolecular Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to explore melatonin's role in mitochondrial homeostasis and its potential therapeutic effects on reproductive cancers by examining its mechanisms of action.

Results Summary

Melatonin promotes mitochondrial homeostasis, influences oxidative phosphorylation, ATP synthesis, and regulates DNA transcriptional activities, potentially attenuating cancer development, progression, and metastasis in reproductive cancers. It also appears to restore chemosensitivity and improve patient quality of life.

Population

Reproductive cancers (ovarian, endometrial, cervical, breast, and prostate cancers).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (20)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
melatonin
increase
mitochondrial homeostasis
tumor cell
-
plays beneficial roles in
#1
melatonin
increase
oxidative phosphorylation and electron flux
tumor cell
-
influencing
#2
melatonin
increase
ATP synthesis
tumor cell
-
influencing
#3
melatonin
increase
bioenergetics
tumor cell
-
influencing
#4
melatonin
increase
calcium influx
tumor cell
-
influencing
#5
melatonin
increase
mitochondrial permeability transition pore
tumor cell
-
influencing
#6
melatonin
increase
mitochondrial homeostasis
-
-
promotes
#7
melatonin
increase
nuclear DNA and mtDNA transcriptional activities
-
-
regulating
#8
melatonin
increase
apoptosis
cancer-cell
-
helpful in promoting
#9
melatonin
increase
anti-proliferation
cancer-cell
-
helpful in promoting
#10
melatonin
increase
pro-oxidation
cancer-cell
-
helpful in promoting
#11
melatonin
increase
metabolic shifting
cancer-cell
-
helpful in promoting
#12
melatonin
decrease
neovasculogenesis
cancer-cell
-
helpful in inhibiting
#13
melatonin
decrease
inflammation
cancer-cell
-
helpful in controlling
#14
melatonin
increase
chemosensitivity
cancer-cell
-
helpful in restoration of
#15
melatonin
decrease
development of reproductive cancers
-
-
results in attenuation of
#16
melatonin
decrease
progression of reproductive cancers
-
-
results in attenuation of
#17
melatonin
decrease
metastatic potential of reproductive cancers
-
-
results in attenuation of
#18
melatonin
decrease
risk of recurrence
-
-
results in lowering
#19
melatonin
increase
life quality of patients
patients
-
results in improving
#20
Abstract

Cancers of the reproductive organs have a strong association with mitochondrial defects, and a deeper understanding of the role of this organelle in preneoplastic-neoplastic changes is important to determine the appropriate therapeutic intervention. Mitochondria are involved in events during cancer development, including metabolic and oxidative status, acquisition of metastatic potential, resistance to chemotherapy, apoptosis, and others. Because of their origin from melatonin-producing bacteria, mitochondria are speculated to produce melatonin and its derivatives at high levels; in addition, exogenously administered melatonin accumulates in the mitochondria against a concentration gradient. Melatonin is transported into tumor cell by GLUT/SLC2A and/or by the PEPT1/2 transporters, and plays beneficial roles in mitochondrial homeostasis, such as influencing oxidative phosphorylation and electron flux, ATP synthesis, bioenergetics, calcium influx, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Moreover, melatonin promotes mitochondrial homeostasis by regulating nuclear DNA and mtDNA transcriptional activities. This review focuses on the main functions of melatonin on mitochondrial processes, and reviews from a mechanistic standpoint, how mitochondrial crosstalk evolved in ovarian, endometrial, cervical, breast, and prostate cancers relative to melatonin's known actions. We put emphasis on signaling pathways whereby melatonin interferes within cancer-cell mitochondria after its administration. Depending on subtype and intratumor metabolic heterogeneity, melatonin seems to be helpful in promoting apoptosis, anti-proliferation, pro-oxidation, metabolic shifting, inhibiting neovasculogenesis and controlling inflammation, and restoration of chemosensitivity. This results in attenuation of development, progression, and metastatic potential of reproductive cancers, in addition to lowering the risk of recurrence and improving the life quality of patients.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnimalsBreast NeoplasmsEndometrial NeoplasmsFemaleGenital Neoplasms, FemaleHumansMaleMelatoninMitochondriaOvarian NeoplasmsOxidative StressProstatic NeoplasmsReactive Oxygen SpeciesSignal TransductionUterine Cervical Neoplasms
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations39
Citations/Year6.5
Relative Citation Ratio2.07
NIH Percentile75.5%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
Weight Score1.15
Normalized Score0.69
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